The 18th edition of the Whistler Film Festival (WFF) wrapped Sunday night, living up to its reputation as ‘Canada’s coolest film fest’ with more premieres, filmmakers, artists and industry executives in attendance than ever before. With unique experiences ranging from live music to mountain top events, cinematic excellence remained at the heart of this year’s festival.

With more than 1,000 submissions, festival goers experienced 85 fresh films (50 features and 35 shorts) in 104 screenings from over 12 countries, including leading award season fare, meritable Canadian content and more female directed films than ever before. WFF remained true to its mandate of discovering new talent, with the inclusion of 16 first time feature films, 21 feature films directed by women (representing 46%), and with 64% of its program premiering Canadian features, more than any other international Canadian film festival this year. Plus, WFF’s juries featured some of the industry’s top talent, who presented 14 film awards and $146,500 in cash and prizing ($31,500 cash and $115,000 in prizes).

The Whistler Film Festival’s Audience Award sponsored by Tim Hortons went toON THE BASIS OF SEX, Mimi Leder’s topical biography of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg played by Felicity Jones, which received its Western Canadian premiere at the fest. The WFF Audience Award runner-up was the Western Canadian premiere of Alfonso Cuarón’s masterful ROMA, which for the first time ever at WFF was shown in 4k projection and 7.1 sound. The WFF Audience Award for Most Popular Canadian Film goes to the Canadian premiere of Brigitte Berman’s HUGH HEFNER’S AFTER DARK: SPEAKING OUT IN AMERICA, which features a treasure trove of archival footage with everyone from Lenny Bruce to Moms Mabley together with Charlie Sheen HIV diagnosis. The WFF Audience Award is a non-cash prize presented to the highest-rated film as voted by the audience.

The Whistler Film Festival Society is a charitable cultural organization dedicated to furthering the art of film by providing programs that focus on the discovery, development and promotion of new talent culminating with a must attend festival for artists, the industry and audiences in Whistler.